To Serve and Protect
by monarch24
Summary: Yami has been taken by Kaiba. What's a girl to do?
1. Loss

-1Chapter One: Loss

Lapis sat kneeling at the low wooden table, rocking back and forth silently. Her green eyes stared at the gleaming tabletop, but she looked right through it. Her vision swept across the room as the sun slowly set behind the blinds and the roses stood tall in their crystal vases, but she saw none of it. All Lapis could see were the moments, the precious moments she and her Pharaoh spent together here at this table. She could see his brilliant smile as he laughed, the glitter of his deep purple orbs, the straightness of his back as he kneeled erect on his pillow. She could hear his commanding voice beckoning her to his side, hear him talk, ask her to speak to him about her childhood. She could feel the gentleness of his touch as he stroked her hand, pushed back the stray tendrils from her face, feel the warmth radiating from his being. His warmth…..Something flickered across lapis' face as she remembered. Yami….her Yami was gone. His warmth, his light was….gone, stolen, taken from her in an instant. A sob, full of grief and pain, escaped her lips and suddenly she could no longer hold back. Her back lost its straightness as she keeled over in sorrow onto the tabletop. My Pharaoh!, her heart cried out. My love! Yami! Her grief-stricken sobs reverberated throughout the empty house as she replayed earlier events. The car barreling down, the henchmen in black, Yami fighting, running, reaching out for her, all of these things ran through her mind like a bad movie she couldn't shut off.

"Lapis?"

Startled, Lapis sat up quickly to see Yugi standing in the doorway, looking frightened. "Lapis, why are you crying?"

She couldn't answer. Just seeing little Yugi with the same beautiful amethyst eyes and spiked hair made her yearn for her Pharaoh harder. _He's not here because of me. _Lapis slumped over, bringing her head to hard wood, alarming Yugi more. He rushed over, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Lapis?! Lapis, what's wrong? What has happened? Lapis, where's Yami?"

In a fresh torrent of tears, Lapis explained the entire story, leaving nothing out. She told him of her duty as protector to the Pharaoh, meeting Kaiba for the first time, falling in love with Yami, the significance of yesterday's incident in the diner, all adding up to the kidnapping.

"It's my fault!," she exclaimed to a stunned Yugi. "I didn't protect him from that..that snake, I wasn't there as I should have been. I didn't do my job and now…now, he's gone! Yugi, he's gone!"

"Okay, Lapis, okay," responded the small boy as he slowly came out of his stupor and began putting his brain to work. "It's okay, we'll get him back. We will. Kaiba won't hurt Yami, he's not that evil."

"Isn't he?," spat Lapis.

"No. Kaiba is undoubtedly many things, but a killer? A murderer? I know that he hasn't shown you anything but a selfish and pompous attitude, but he…he isn't all bad."

Lapis found that hard to believe, but Yugi sounded so sure of himself. He sounded as though there was still hope. But how could Kaiba be so cruel? How could he steal away her sun, her light? It was getting dark out and Yugi began clicking on lamps to illuminate the room. Lapis watched without seeing, slowly growing angrier and angrier as she thought about it. How dare he take away someone so precious? How dare he? Curse him! Looking out the window and focusing, she felt slightly defeated that it was indeed night. Realizing she had wasted the entire day in a depression, she cursed her own self. What could she do now?


	2. Awake

-1Chapter Two: Awake

Yami awoke slowly, groggily. He opened his eyes to unfamiliar surroundings, became conscious of unfamiliar pain. He tried to shift his body, but his arms wouldn't move. Raising his head, he was stunned to see that his wrists were shackled from hanging chains in the wall his back was against. Because of this, he also found that he was forced on his knees in a subservient position, kneeling before whoever approached him. Shaking the cobwebs from his thoughts, he worked to remember just how he got here….wherever here was. A car….a car speeding down the street, a door swinging open…Lapis…. Yami straightened and jerked his chains as the memories came rushing back, wincing in pain as the shackles bit into his skin. He had turned when Lapis shouted out his name, had been delirious with joy in the fact that she called him by name. _My name….I have to tell her…. _Shaking more webs from his thoughts, he struggled to remember more. The black car, men began spilling out, running towards him. They hurt Lapis. He remembered fighting, fighting to get to her side, needing to reach her…and for a brief moment, a short-lived joy-filled moment he thought he had. Then…black…nothing and he was, chained to a wall in a place he didn't know. Where was Lapis? He began looking around, but although the room he was in was huge, it was dimly lit and he couldn't see much. Suddenly overhead lights turned on, glaring down on him with a vengeance, causing him to squint. More and more lights blared, revealing the wall he was chained to was…

A dueling field!

Yami immediately knew where he was. Only one place in the city had fields this large and with stadium seating.

KaibaLand, owner Seto Kaiba. SO he was the one behind all this, taking him hostage and doing Ra knew what with Lapis. In anger, he cried out.

"Kaiba!" His voice echoed throughout the empty auditorium. "Kaiba, show yourself to me right now and tell me where is Lapis!"

Silence, then he heard click, click as though someone was walking towards him, hard-heeled boots on concrete. Looking above his chains, he spied Kaiba grinning down at him. "Good to see you too, Yami," he drawled, leaning over the steel railing.

"Where is she?," Yami repeated, bile rising in his throat as he watched Kaiba leap over the railing and land with a cat-like grace in front of him. The smug smile stayed in place as he looked at Yami kneeling there and it looked as though he wanted to laugh out loud. "Tell me where she is!," Yami demanded, unable to keep the fury from his voice any longer.

Kaiba was no longer grinning. He glared at Yami with contempt. "That's what I would like to know." Seeing the shock and confusion on his hostage's face, he continued. "When I put this plan together, I was after one thing, one goal. Do you really think you're deserving of such a gift as the lovely Lapis? Do you actually believe she would stay by your side?" Kaiba looked as though he wanted to spit. "You, a peasant by all accounts, are not worthy of a woman like that!"

"Perhaps…perhaps you are right, Kaiba." Yami fixed the slender boy with a steely stare. "Maybe I don't deserve Lapis. Maybe I am not worthy of her as you claim. But that still does not divert from the fact that I love her, that we love each other."

Kaiba scoffed. "What do you know about love? You know nothing."

"Where is she?," All this talk of Lapis was driving Yami mad.

"She's not here!," Kaiba suddenly yelled in utter frustration. "Those idiots, those..morons I sent blundered! I said I wanted the girl and got you instead! I didn't want you! I want, I need Lapis!"

Had Yami not been chained to the wall, he would have flown at the boy with all the fury and intensity of a wildcat. How dare Kaiba say he needed the one who brought so much joy to Yami's life? He was glad that Lapis was safe, anywhere away from the madman ranting before him was considered safe distance. Kaiba continued to vent his frustrations out about his goons' incompetence before finally composing himself. He stared at Yami as he paced shortly, the gears visibly turning as he plotted.

"Hmmm…maybe I can use you," he said, coming to a halt. "Yes, you could be useful to me, Yami. This…love…you speak of between you and my fighting flower…it could lure her here."

Kaiba was mainly speaking to himself, not caring if Yami heard or not. Chills ran down Yami's spine when he understood Kaiba's meaning and listened to him carry on. "Yes, of course! It's so simple!" Kaiba finally looked at him full in the face and gave the smile of a demon. "Like they say, Yami, you want something done right, do it yourself. She'll come to me." He stepped closer and laughed. "By using you, she'll come."


	3. Decisions

-1Chapter Three: Decisions

When the note arrived at the house, Lapis began to scream and curse in a blind rage and nearly broke everything in the house before Anzu, Yugi, and Jonouchi were able to calm her down, but just barely. She stalked through the house like an angry panther, clutching the messenger-delivered notice in her hand.

_I have him. Come to me._

It wasn't signed, but it didn't need to be. "Sand devil!," Lapis exclaimed when she read it. "Anubis claim your evil soul and bury you in the pits of the underworld! Dog! Flea-bitten camel!" She wanted to run after Kaiba's errand-boy and demand he take her to his master, but Yugi deterred her.

"No! Lapis, no! Don't go yet!"

He and the others had arrived immediately after school to help with the situation. Seeing both Lapis and Yami's absence in class, Anzu and Jonouchi confronted Yugi and, without telling the whole story, he was able to give enough information for them to offer assistance, but not arouse suspicions. Now, as he desperately tried to talk to Lapis in private, he wondered just what exactly any of them could do.

"What do you mean, don't go?," she was shouting. "I have to go. I have to save him!"

"Lapis, think first! What can Kaiba really do? I told you, he's not a murderer and I don't believe Yami will be hurt." Yugi approached quietly as she slumped in a straight-backed chair, head in her hands dejectedly. He took both hands in his gently, causing her to look at him. "Come on, think, Lapis, protector of the Pharaoh," he said softly with a smile. "What can you do?"

_Yes, I must get control of my emotions. I have to have a clear head. Mother Isis, Supreme Mother, help me save my Pharaoh._ Sitting there with Yugi's hands in hers, Lapis began to calm and the frustration slowly seeped away as she put her anger aside for a later time. _Mother Isis, Supreme Mother, help me save my Pharaoh_. Her body began to rock gently as though the Great Goddess laid her gentle hands upon her and was soothing away all pain. She held on to Yugi's hands as through drawing strength for him as well. Closing her eyes, she floated away into tranquility. _Mother Isis, Supreme Mother, help me save my Pharaoh._ Opening jade-green eyes, she was both startled and pleased to see Jonouchi standing beside Yugi, her own hands on theirs. Anzu was quietly kneeling beside Lapis, her hands on top. _Mother Isis, Supreme Mother, help me save my Pharaoh. Mother Isis, Supreme Mother...help us save our friend._


	4. Seige

Chapter Four: Siege

Kaiba paced in front of his office window, staring intently, willing Lapis to storm his citadel and fall into his waiting arms. He had the message delivered that morning and was prepared for an immediate response...but there was only silence. Kaiba stopped his pacing and leaned against the cold window, looking down from a dizzying height to the front gates below. He well remembered seeing Lapis there, shaking the metal bars furiously. He had been confused, wondering how she had escaped before getting a buzz on his intercom telling him that Yami was secured, chained and going nowhere. After leaving Yami's presence, Kaiba began putting his plan, his new plan, into action, but now things seem to have come to a grinding halt. She wasn't here...yet. The small word bounced around in his head, teasing him. Yet...Lapis wasn't here yet. It posed another question. When would she get here?

Yami was moved from his chains on the dueling field. Kaiba's toadies transported him to the basement where it seemed a special room had been quickly prepared just for him, a small room devoid of furniture except a thin cot in a corner. There were no windows save a tiny one cut in the metal door. Yami refused to get mad. He was sure that Kaiba was watching his every move and he would not give him the satisfaction of seeing him scream and curse. Instead he focused on Lapis. There was no doubt in his mind that she would come for him. A protector of the Pharaoh she may be, but she was also a woman in love. Yami sat on his poor excuse of a bed and decided to wait. Lapis was coming.

Kaiba strode down the hall forcefully, flanked by two hulking men in gray. The day had gone by uneventfully, much to his chagrin. Waiting patiently was never his forte. He had spent majority of the day locked in his office with specific instructions not to be disturbed unless the building was under siege. All was quiet and stayed that way...until now.

"Kaiba? Sir? We have a problem..."

Picking up the walkie-talkie sitting on his desk, Kaiba clicked to respond. "What is it?"

The front gate guard sounded nervous talking to his boss and Kaiba could hear shouting in the background. "Well, sir, there are a bunch of kids, high school kids, at the gate yelling something about a...about a kidnapping. They're being awfully loud, sir. People are staring and I can't get them to leave."

Kaiba peered out of the window and could make out three bodies standing and moving about, one with yellow, black and fushia colored hair. Yugi!

"Just call the police, you idiot. Have them carted away. I don't need the stress."

"But...but sir...you said...you requested that you be informed if it was important."

"Is there a brown-skinned beauty with them? A girl with green eyes and black hair?"

"Uh...no...no sir," the guard confirmed.

"Then it isn't important!"

Kaiba slammed down the walkie-talkie and stormed out of his office_. Idiots. They surround me. I'll have him moved. I'll bring him up, have my men give him more than a few bruises, and show his friends just who they're dealing with. I'll tell them to send Lapis, make an exchange. I am Seto Kaiba. I get what I want. And if they should think about calling the police...The police? Bah! They can't touch me._

He approached Yami's "room" and slid open the door grate. "Get up," he commanded, detesting how absolutely royal the boy looked even in a dirty cell.

Yami fixed silent eyes on Kaiba that never wavered. "Do I need to ask where I'm going?"

Kaiba smirked. "Just do what you're told."

Yami stopped as he rose from the floor, scowling furiously. "I may be your prisoner, but believe me, Kaiba, it won't be that way for long."

Little punk. "Do it."

On his order, the two burly goons stepped into the room and one landed a large meaty fist into Yami's stomach. As he doubled over in pain, they descended on him, raining punches upon his body. Kaiba watched dispassionately, then put the beating to a halt. "That's enough. Stand him up and bring him." His men obeyed, each holding Yami by opposite arms. His face was a purple bruised mess, one eye swelling into black already. Kaiba smiled inwardly. _Let Yugi set his eyes on this._

They marched down the huge empty corridor, Kaiba leading. Yami barely had the strength to lift his head as he was nearly dragged by the two toadies. He had come dangerously close to coughing blood, but he refused to show Kaiba any more weakness. _I need Lapis. I need to see her. _

"This should tell you something, Yami," Kaiba was saying as they walked. "I sent your so-called love a message earlier and, as you can clearly see, there has been no response." He stopped in the center of the hallway and turned. He stared at Yami before two steps forward and lifting his head to look into his eyes. "Poor deluded boy. What makes you think she'll stay devoted to you?"

"Let me show you."

Kaiba's head swiveled upward in shock as Lapis fell from the ceiling rafters with a startling speed. Landing with the agility of a cat, Lapis spun and made quick work of the two men standing on either side of Yami, knocking them both out with hard kicks. Spinning again, there was a slash as Lapis swiped across Kaiba's body with her sai. Kaiba staggered backwards, hand on his chest, but he felt no blood. Looking down, he saw that Lapis had only cut his shirt and jacket. He didn't believe that somehow she had missed. Watching her examine Yami's face and body with tenderness and yet noticing her face darkening with rage with each new find, he knew he was in for the fight of his life. However, determined to put on a brave front, he stated boldly,

"I see you got my message."

"Yes," came the steely reply as she faced him. With three quick strides, she left Yami's side and landed a right hook into Kaiba's smug face. "I see you didn't get mine."


	5. Fight

Chapter Five: Fight!

Kaiba landed with a thud. Once the realization that Lapis had struck him, him!, he looked up from the floor in indignation.

"How dare you strike me! Who do you think you are?!"

Lapis pounced with the ferocity of a demon unleashed from the deeper realms of the underworld. "Anubis damn your evil spirit to his domain!," she screamed, sai pointed directly at Kaiba's heart.

He foresaw her intent to kill and willed his body to move. _What is this?_, he asked himself as he heard the loud clang of her weapons hitting the marble floor. _She can't_ _mean to kill me! Not me!_ "What are you doing??"

Lapis had returned to Yami's side, standing in front of the battered young man with her dangerous sai, ready to fly at Kaiba again. She was dressed in all black, pants and a slit-sleeved top, a mocha colored guardian angel who was seriously pissed off.

"Let me refresh your memory. I told you that if you ever touched him again, I would do more than just a kick to your stomach."

The recollection came swiftly as Kaiba remembered the first time he laid eyes on the green-eyed beauty. Oh yes, he remembered the kick quite well and her threat, but she couldn't have been serious. Nobody threatens Kaiba. How could she possibly be devoted to such…such a lowly creature? He stood up slowly, trying to keep the angry girl at bay as he formulated a plan.

"Wait a minute, Lapis. You've got it all wrong. I wasn't the one who did anything to him. My men-"

"Save it." Lapis cut him short as she sheathed her sai and got one arm around her Pharaoh to help support him. She was ecstatic to have him back in her arms. It didn't matter now if Kaiba landed the punches on Yami or not. He had caused enough trouble. _We are going home_.

Kaiba watched in silent terror as they began to move away from him, Lapis was walking away, going away…..to be with _him_.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, but they had the desired effect. Both Lapis and Yami stopped and turned, green and amethyst eyes flickering with open hostility.

"What makes you think that we would accept your challenge?," asked Yami. "We have been through enough already."

"You've been through nothing," spat Kaiba. "Surely you won't back away from a challenge, a duel, will you, Yami?" Yes, a duel. He's weak, he'd lose quickly. Lapis would be mine in a matter of minutes.

"No, he does not accept," Lapis spoke up. Turning to Yami, she lowered her voice. "My Pharaoh, let us leave this place. You are injured badly and in no condition to his coward's game. He knows this. He will take advantage."

"Then how do we escape from here, femi? Kaiba probably has the doors locked by now and his men are at his beck and call. The two you knocked out would become a hundred in mere moments."

"You will not duel him, my love. I can not allow it." She threw Kaiba a baleful glare over her shoulder. "Let the snake face me."

Yami looked up in alarm. "No, Lapis, you musn't! I've never showed you how to play the game. You'd lose!"

He was shocked to see her smile. "Your protector shall not lose, my Pharaoh." She gently kissed his cheek. "Besides, who said anything about cards?"


	6. Challenge

Chapter Six: Challenge

"I accept your challenge!"

Lapis turned with her Pharaoh in her arms to face the man she detested with her whole heart. "You shall face me on the battlefield and there you will meet defeat."

"What? What is this, Yami?" Kaiba stood shock-still as he digested Lapis' words. "Can you not fight your own battles?"

"Never fix your mouth to speak to my love again," retorted Lapis. Her patience with the tall brash braggart had finally worn thin. "Now, do you understand that I shall be your opponent?"

"Yes," Kaiba said slowly. "I…I just did not realize that you were familiar with the cards."

"Oh, this duel won't be played with cards. You can keep your Blue Eyes White Dragons in your pocket. I have heard from very reliable sources that you have a rather well equipped weapons room and that you even fancy yourself a weapons master. I am curious to know how good of a master you believe yourself to be. I suggest your….challenge take place there."

"W-what?" Kaiba could not believe his ears. How did she know about his martial arts training and the masters he had flown in to teach him different styles of fighting and weaponry? "What sources do you have?"

Lapis grinned. "If you knew that, I'd have to kill you." There was a devilish glint in those green depths and Kaiba was convinced she was going to kill him anyway.

"Fine," he consented. "We'll do this your way, my fighting flower, but be assured that when I win, you will become devoted to me and be part of my service forever."

"Lapis, no!" Yami gripped her tighter, trying to keep his femi with him. "I can't let you do this."

"And I can not allow him to do this again," stated the young girl as she turned confident eyes towards her love. "We can escape this place, escape it easily, but who knows how long before this snake tries something else? I could not bear having you taken away from me again." She touched his face gently as he drew her close. "Don't worry," she whispered. "I will save you."

Yami felt useless. How could he just let Lapis enter into a duel of any kind with Kaiba? But he knew that no matter how hard he tried, Lapis was going to do everything in her power to keep him safe…even if it risked the chance of being forced into Kaiba's service forever. They followed Kaiba, Yami reluctantly, down to a large spacious room where weapons of every shape and size imaginable hung on the walls and a sunken fighting arena lay in the middle. Kama hung dangerously next to chigirki, the 2 foot long stick with a chain attached, the spiked ball dangling. Nunchakus and shuriken kept company with Grecian and Norse styled swords, flails, Scottish dirks and thin rapiers. Kaiba strolled to one side of the arena, flinging his cape to the ground as he took his time in selecting his first attack piece. Lapis and Yami went to the opposite side where Lapis made sure Yami was comfortable before taking her place inside the lowered floor. Kaiba finally chose his weapon, a long bo wrapped in the middle with black silk. He twirled it expertly in his slim hands as he took his fighting stance. He grinned at the seething woman across from him, her sai at her sides.

"Ready?"

"Just say when."

They didn't waste time, just flew on an unspoken command. Meeting with a sharp clang as metal met wood, Lapis glared at her enemy before spitting in his face. Kaiba was roundly disgusted and brought the long shaft of hard wood down and up to trip her. Her feet went flying, but deftly Lapis leaned back, propping herself on her hands and caught Kaiba on the chin with a spike-heeled boot. Flipping back and out of reach before he could regain his senses, she flew at him again, leaping up to kick him soundly in the chest. Kaiba went back, but managed to throw his bo in a well-aimed projected line towards her. Lapis saw it at the last possible second and leaned to the side to avoid it before it caught her in the face. Turning back to Kaiba, she was startled by his speed as he ran at her, kneeling to sweep one long leg under her feet, trying to get her to the floor. He succeeded and she hit the floor hard.

"Now I have you," he crowed triumphantly as he came over her.

"Not now," she growled as she slashed upward with one sai, catching his shirt and forcing him away. "Not ever."

He jumped back in apparent fright, but then smirked and chuckled. "Oh, Lapis, I know you would never hurt me. You know how well I will take care of you once you belong to me."

"Look again."

Kaiba looked over at her, confused, then down at his chest. A thin red line appeared as he stood still in disbelief before it dawned on him that Lapis…had cut him. She had done him actual harm. She flipped herself up onto her feet, ready for another round. "Get your weapon," she hissed, pointing one sai at him. "Get a weapon. Get something so I can take you down honorably."

This was beyond Kaiba's comprehension. How could Lapis actually draw blood, his blood? This was unbelievable, unthinkable. Was she truly that dedicated to that weed of a man, Yami? How could this be? He had nothing, Kaiba had everything. He was the one with the wealth, the power, the respect garnered from hard work and skill at dueling. What did Yami have that he didn't to make Lapis love him, commit herself to him? What was missing? Kaiba was perfect in every way. Wasn't he? **Wasn't he?** Anger infused through him like liquid lava as he stared at the young woman posed defensively before him, the woman who made him question his very being.

"How dare you touch me," he snarled as he ran towards the wall of weapons, determined to teach the young girl a lesson, one that she would never forget. "I am Kaiba! Seto Kaiba! And I have everything! I have money!" Rushing towards her with a bisento in hand, a Japanese pole weapon with a thick curved blade upon a long wooden pole, longer than the bo and twice as dangerous. He began swinging in Lapis' direction without really seeing her as a target as he raved. His rage was getting the best of him thus causing his fighting skills to weaken. "I have money!," he shouted again as he brought the bisento down on her head. She dodged quickly in bewilderment at what caused him to be so angry so suddenly. The blade crashed to the floor and Kaiba immediately lifted it to strike again. "I have power! More than you can imagine!" Again and again, he brought the pole down upon her, chasing her around the floor as Lapis did her best to avoid his bad aims. However, Kaiba didn't seem to notice that he wasn't hitting anything besides the floor. "I have it all!," Kaiba continued to rant. "I have it all! He has nothing! He is nothing! Nothing, do you hear?"

_He is mad_, thought Lapis. _Completely mad. And besides that, he is completely_ _dangerous. He keeps this up and who knows what he'll do_. Lapis could see the murderous glint in his eyes, crazed and wide, and thought furiously as to how to keep her Pharaoh safe. Her eyes flickered over to where Yami sat, horrified at Kaiba's sudden frenzied lack of sanity. Suddenly she was knocked off her feet as Kaiba swooped down with the bisento, cutting a deep wound in her arm.

"Ah!," she cried out as she hit the floor and tumbled, losing her grip on both sai. On her knees, she tried to take quick stock of her injury before the nutcase realized she was weaponless. It didn't take long. Even in a red haze, Kaiba understood she was, at least, momentarily defenseless and with a loud battle cry, ran to give the final blow. Unexpectedly Lapis jumped up to meet him, catching the handle in her hands as he brought it down. The pain from her wound was excruciating and she was feeling weak from the loss of blood and all the running around the arena, but she did not let go. _For him……Mother, give me strength!_, she silently begged as Kaiba bore down harder. _Just one kick_. Bending one knee, she leaned back, bringing both Kaiba and his weapon towards her, and calling upon her goddess, shot the other leg up through the handle, splintering wood and sending Kaiba off-kilter. He wobbled and fell, his madness slowing down his thinking. Spear tip in hand, Lapis thought fast. Glancing up at the wall, she saw a way out of this insanity. A pair of tessen, folding fans with an iron frame, lay side by side, unforgotten on the floor. _No wonder_, she thought, dashing over. _Tessen are a female ninja's weapon. I just need one._ _Just one._ The roar behind her let her know that Kaiba was on the move again. _Make that both. _Just before she could reach, she was tackled from behind by Kaiba, the both of them rolling on the floor away from the tessen. They came to a stop with him on top of her, grinning like a jackal.

"Ha! Got you!," he pronounced joyfully, his eyes wide with glee. "You belong to me!"

"Kaiba!" Yami was on his feet, ready to grab whatever he could to clobber the boy, but was suddenly stopped by a look from Lapis. _Wait, my love_, it said. _Wait_. Her glass green eyes shifted back to Kaiba and went soft, yielding.

"Why, Kaiba, I never knew." Her voice was soft, flirtatious.

Kaiba's eyes went puzzled. "Knew? Knew what? What?"

"How strong you were." Rolling suddenly, she put him under her. "Oh? Was I wrong? Aren't you the strong man who will take me away?"

Kaiba smiled and rolled. Lapis was on bottom now. "Of course I'm strong. Of course I will take care of you."

Roll. Kaiba was on bottom. "Don't play with me, Kaiba." She looked him with a hurt expression. "I need a strong man. How strong can you be if you're on the floor?"

Roll. "Who's on the floor now?"

Roll. "You. I need a real man, Kaiba. Show me your strength."

Roll. "I'm a real man, I'm all real, all man."

Roll. "Really? I don't see it."

Roll. "Ha!" Kaiba laughed in triumph as Lapis squirmed under him. "See? I am a man, all man, real man. Now, a reward. Come, my fighting flower. Kiss me."

Lapis sighed in defeat. "As you wish." Yami looked on in shock as Kaiba lowered his head, let go of Lapis' wrists and pushed his lips against hers. Lapis took his face in her hands, pressing harder as she rolled back on top. Pulling away, she smiled as Kaiba lay back in a gaze, eyes closed, a smile playing upon his own lips. Opening his blue eyes, he stared up at Lapis, a heavy tessen in her hands. She grinned.

"Here's your real reward, sir Kaiba."

Bam! Striking him against the side of his head, Kaiba went out like a light. Lapis quickly moved away from him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Ugh!," she grunted and spit. Staring at the prone figure on the floor, seeing that it was finally over, she simply gave into her exhaustion and fell to the floor. Yami was at her side in an instant.

"Femi? Femi? Speak to me."

"I'm alright, my Pharaoh. Just tired." She smiled. "I'm sorry about that. I had to think of something."

"I forgive you, femi. I know you would protect me at any cost, but let me protect you too. I couldn't bear it if any harm to come to you."

"Nor I to you." She looked at him with much love in her eyes, Yami could have drowned and not have cared. "Come," she said. "We are finally leaving this place."

Arriving home, it was dark. Lapis immediately began turning on lights and settling her Pharaoh down so he could rest. Tending to his wounds, the two talked, not about Kaiba or their ordeal, but about each other. Yami, with the memories fresh in his mind and heart of the pain of being away from Lapis, wanted to know everything there was to know about the girl.

"No more old history," he said. "Just about you."

They laughed as they shared stories, embarrassing moments, hair-raising experiences and simply enjoyed each other's company.

"I can't believe we have to go back to school after all of this," sighed Yami as they lay outside in the hammock, his head in her lap.

A mischievous glint came to those emerald depths as she smiled. "Should my Pharaoh say so, we don't have to."

He smiled back, catching her meaning. "Then as your Pharaoh, I command that we stay here tomorrow."

"As my Pharaoh says."

Looking deep into one another's eyes, Yami reached up gently, cupping her cheek in his hand. "As your Pharaoh," he said softly, voice receding to a whisper. "I command that you kiss me."

She leaned in closer, not quite touching his lips. "As my Pharaoh says." Quietly, gently, lightly, they came together, never to be apart again.


End file.
